Windows Phone development may not be as popular as Android or iPhone in the past, but with the advent of new Windows 8 operating system things have started to pick up speed. Smart phones running on Windows 8 os include the Nokia Lumia which has sold 15.9 million smartphones and this includes 4.4 million units of Lumia range of smartphones.
Currently there are 3 versions of Software Development Kit (SDK) available over the developer’s website of windows phone (dev.windowsphone.com). The different development kits include all the tools required to develop exiting apps and games for different versions of Windows Phone.
It enables you to develop apps for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 7.0 devices. It includes the following:
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone
It’s an integrated development environment (IDE) that provides tools and support for developing and deploying apps and games for Windows Phone. It comes with a large set of library functions and an easy to use drag and drop interface, which makes it very efficient framework to build and run applications.
Windows Phone Emulator
The SDK provides you with resources by which you can imitate the Windows Phone and test your application, and get user’s view of your application.
Silverlight 4 SDK and DRT
Silverlight is an application framework for developing and deploying applications that work with internet. It is basically used to provide feature and functionalities similar to those of Adobe Flash. It comes as an add-on for Visual Studio 2010 to provide tooling for Microsoft Silverlight 4 and RIA Services.
XNA Game Studio 4.0
Microsoft XNA Game Studio 4.0 helps developers to create amazing games with ultra superior quality for Windows Phone. XNA Game Studio 4.0 is basically a programming environment where you can use Visual Studio 2010 to create games for Windows Phone and also for the Xbox 360 console, and Windows-based computers. It consists a set of managed libraries designed based on Microsoft .NET Framework 4.
Microsoft Expression Blend SDK for Windows Phone
This is the most amazing tool provided by Microsoft that can give your app an extra zing, which will make them shine in the market place. It consists of very intuitive variety of inbuilt behaviors that can directly dragged in to your app and then can be fine-tuned according to it.
WCF Data Services Client for Window Phone
These services allow you to develop applications that can interact and interchange data over web. It basically works on Open Data Protocol that enables creation and consumption ADO.Net data services for web.
Microsoft Advertising SDK for Windows Phone
These tools take care of the fiscal aspects of your app, i.e., the SDK allows monetizing your Windows Phone applications. Multiple advertisers compete by bidding to buy ads in your app in real time. The SDK integrated with Microsoft pubCenter gives you accurate reporting capabilities on how ads are performing with in your apps.
SDK 7.1.1 Update
This update of SDK provides developers with additional functionality that allows them to develop, run and test apps and games for 256-MB Windows Phone devices. It includes a new 256-MB version of Phone Emulator, an updated 512-MB version of Windows Phone Emulator, and IntelliSense support.
SDK 8.0
The newest version of SDK is a full-featured development environment that allows developers to build apps and games “faster” for Windows Phone 8 and Phone 7.5. It comes with a stand-alone Visual Studio Express 2012 edition for Windows Phone, which can also works as an add-in to Visual Studio 2012 Professional, Premium or Ultimate editions. The SDK also includes multiple emulators and additional tools for profiling and testing your Windows Phone app under real-world conditions.
With all the tools and services and their constant up gradation from Microsoft, with more intuitive and exciting features, available for the developers, Windows Phones surely have the potential to beat the Androids and the iPhones.
Arthur Blackwood works as a lead UI developer at TechAhead, which has an impeccable record in the field of Windows Phone app development. Since its inception in 2009 it has consistently grown on offerings, clientele, people, reach, and overall value.
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What a great tools you have shared! Using above tools, we can make any windows Phone apps more productive and useful.
Windows Phone not a popular as Android or iPhone in the past because It enable to develop only apps for Windows Phone, but with the advent of new Windows 8 operating system things have started to pick up speed.
You’ve shared a really great tool. With using above tools, we can make any windows Phone apps more productive and useful.
thank you for the comment